


Showing Restraint

by redeem147



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M, minor bdsm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-09
Updated: 2011-08-09
Packaged: 2017-10-22 10:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/237230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redeem147/pseuds/redeem147
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spike. Buffy. Handcuffs. Oops.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Showing Restraint

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chenanceou](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=chenanceou).



One miscalculated roll, and they had landed on the rug beside his bed, though neither had noticed. They were swept up in each other, as usual, at least until the lovemaking ended, and she shut her emotions down. That moment had yet to arrive.

 

“Wow,” she said, “that was really...wow.”

 

He lay on his side, arm bent, his head resting on his hand. “Want to go for round six?” he asked.

 

“I don’t know,” she answered, “I’m getting a bit tired. We have been at it since noon. Aren’t you the one who needs his daily sleep?”

 

“Bloody hell, I’ve missed Passions,” he exclaimed.

 

“You missed it for me?” she asked, surprised and a bit touched.

 

“Naw, I taped it.” She pushed him over on his back and straddled him, pretending to choke him. She knew she couldn’t cut off his breathing, but it was fun to try. He just laughed. “I have an idea,” he said, reaching under his bed.

 

“Yeah, what?” she asked, releasing her hold on his throat to run her fingers through his hair.

 

“These,” he cried, dangling a bracelet from one finger, and grinning.

 

“Handcuffs? That’s your idea?” She started to stand up, channeling shut down Buffy.

 

“Wait,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her back down to him. “I won’t hurt you. Trust me.”

 

“Right,” she answered. “As far as I can throw you.”

 

“Which you have to admit, love,” he replied, “Is pretty damn far.” He took her hands in his and held them gently. “I know this is new to you. I won’t cuff you to the bed, not if you don’t want. But look,” he snapped a bracelet over his wrist, “We’ll be equal. You take one, I’ll take the other. Just to get used to the idea.”

 

She paused for a moment. He had been right so far, about what felt good. So good. She took a deep breath, and held out her hand to him. “Do it,” she said.

 

The moment he snapped the cuff on, she felt her wrist chafe. It was too constraining. She flashed back on the feeling of being boxed in, trapped. “Take it off, Spike, please, take it off.”

 

She looked so panicked. “Of course, love. Right away.” He stood up, but she just sat on the ground, starting to hyperventilate. “You’ll have to come with me, pet. I need to get the key.”

 

She stood and followed him to his dresser, as he searched through his trinket box. “Sod it, where is it?” he exclaimed. “It was right here, beside my cufflinks.”

 

That caught Buffy’s attention. “Why do you have cufflinks?”

 

“I’ll tell you later.” He felt around the box, but he couldn’t find the key. “I saw it last night, I know I did, right before Dawn came over for help with her homework.”

 

“If this is a trick, Spike,” she said coldly, “Something to make me stay...”

 

“No, love, no. It must be here somewhere.” He bent down to the floor, pulling Buffy with him. Maybe it fell under the dresser.”

 

“To hell with this, Spike,” she said. “I’ll just break them.” She crooked her left forefinger under the cuff and pulled, but it didn’t budge. She tried grabbing the chain with both hands to break the links, but they held fast. “What’s with these things? Why can’t I break them?”

 

“Um, well, actually...” He really didn’t want a punch in the nose at this close proximity. “They’re enchanted handcuffs.”

 

“What?” She had fully gained control. “What the hell are you talking about? This was a trick, wasn’t it?”

 

“No,” he explained. “I didn’t get them for fun. I got them in case I had to restrain a demon, pump one for information. There’s a binding spell on them.”

 

“And you let me put them on?” Her fist pulled back for the windup. “Knowing that we couldn’t take them off?”

 

“They’re easy to get off, Slayer.” He held his free hand over his nose. “With the key.”

 

“The one you lost!” She was too exasperated with him to think of hitting him. “So, what do we do now?”

 

“I daresay one of the witches could take them off. Some sort of release spell.”

 

“Oh, right,” Buffy was almost too angry to get the words out. “We go to Willow or Tara, stark naked, and ask them to take our handcuffs off. We’d better act casual. Wouldn’t want them to suspect anything.”

 

“Well, I think we could get our clothes on, if we cooperate, at least the bottom parts.” He reached for his jeans.

 

“So we tell them we’ve been topless sun bathing?” She picked up a sock. “That’s believable.” She searched the floor, pulling him with her as he tried to get his leg in his jeans. “Have you seen my panties?” she asked suspiciously.

 

“They’re over in the corner, where you threw ‘em.”

 

“Oh yeah. Right.” She dived for them, and he fell over.

 

“Ouch,” he cried. “Watch it.”

 

“I have an idea,” she said. “Get me a t-shirt.”

 

“Which one?” he asked.

 

“I don’t know,” she replied impatiently. “The black one.” He pulled her to his dresser and pulled a t-shirt out of his drawer. “Good lord,” she said, “How many have you got in there?” She took the shirt and picked his knife off of the dresser, cutting the shirt from the bottom of the sleeve and down the side seem.

 

“Watch it.” He took the knife from her hand. “That’s my best shirt.”

 

“Like you could tell.” She pushed her left arm through the sleeve, and hung the other side over her other shoulder. “Get me something to tie this with.” He handed her the belt she’d worn earlier in the day, and she knotted it around her waist.

 

“Very fetching. Make a new fashion statement.” He reached over. “You might want these, though,” He handed her pants to her, and she struggled into them, as he attempted to keep his balance.

 

“What about you?” she asked.

 

“I’m not cutting up any more shirts.” He thought a moment, then pulled her back to the dresser. “How about this?” He held up a spandex muscle shirt. “This is stretchy, and it has big armholes. I think you can climb though it, then I can put it on.

 

“Huh?” He slipped the shirt over his right arm and put his head though the neckhole. He then pulled the other armhole over Buffy’s head and shoulders, and had her step through it. He was wearing the shirt.

 

“Better than that Twister game,” he said, satisfied with himself.

 

“Yeah, it was kind of fun.” She’d forgotten the handcuffs.

 

“Wanta try it the other way?” Buffy actually seemed to be considering it, until she came to her senses. “We have to get out of these things. Tara is at the Bronze. She was meeting her friend Terry.”

 

“New girlfriend?” he asked.

 

“Nope. Old buddyguy. Just broke up with his boyfriend. She said something about a mutual pity party.” She pulled him up the crypt ladder. “Let’s go.”

 

 

When they got to the Bronze, Tara was sitting in a corner by herself. They walked over to her, trying to look nonchalant. “Hey, Tara,” said Buffy. “Where’s Terry?”

 

Tara pointed to the dance floor. “With Larry. Guess they weren’t as broken up as they thought.” She looked at the pair standing beside her table, Spike’s duster hanging between them. “Are you guys holding hands?”

 

“Not exactly.” Buffy pulled the duster up to reveal the handcuffs. “Demon fighting accident. Don’t ask.”

 

“Riiight,” said Tara. “Happens all the time.” She looked at Spike, who feigned an innocent expression as best he could. The couple sat down at her table.

 

“These are some sort of mystic handcuffs,” Buffy explained. “We don’t have the key.” She looked pointedly at Spike. “Can you get them off?”

 

“Maybe,” replied Tara. “Let me see them.” They shifted so that their arms weren’t readily visible to the other patrons, and put them on the table. “I think so. They have a readable frequency. I can do it, but it will take a while. Get comfortable.”

 

Buffy leaned against Spike and put her head on his shoulder, while Tara did some mental incantations, in preparation for verbal ones. After ten minutes, Spike could tell that Buffy had fallen asleep. “She really was tired,” he said.

 

Tara broke from her trance. “Buffy thinks I’m stupid, doesn’t she?”

 

“What do you mean, luv?” he asked.

 

“Demon hunting accident. Why can’t she just say that one of your little sex games went wonky?” Tara smiled at Spike. “I’ve been there.”

 

“Why Miss Tara, I do declare,” laughed Spike. “How long have you known?”

 

“Since she’s tried so hard to hide it.” Tara looked down at the table. “I’ve been there, too.”

 

“I love her, you know.” His face was so gentle.

 

“Does she love you?”

 

“No,” he said. “Maybe. Sometimes.”

 

“Let me get you out of those things.” She drew a pentacle in the air with her finger. “I’d like at least two people at this table to be happy.”

 

 

Buffy woke up from her nap. Spike was holding the handcuffs. “All better.” He shoved them into his duster pocket.

 

“Finally.” She looked around the table. “Where’s Tara?”

 

“She had to go. Nice nap?” He traced a circle on her palm with his finger.

 

“Dreamy,” she replied. “No pun intended. So what now?”

 

The music was slow and romantic. “Care for a dance?”

 

“Yeah,” she said, “I would.” Surprised, he led he onto the floor, and she rocked in his arms. All night.


End file.
